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| 'These are war wounds': Brussels hospitals treat terror attack victims | 'These are war wounds': Brussels hospitals treat terror attack victims |
| (5 months later) | |
| Hospitals in Brussels had been preparing for the worst since the Paris attacks. On Tuesday, the worst happened. | Hospitals in Brussels had been preparing for the worst since the Paris attacks. On Tuesday, the worst happened. |
| Within minutes of the news of the first explosion at Zaventem airport, emergency plans swung into action. At least 25 hospitals in Brussels and neighbouring provinces began caring for the more than 300 people who were injured, according to newspaper La Libre Belgique. Off-duty doctors and nurses were asked to come to work; routine operations were postponed. | Within minutes of the news of the first explosion at Zaventem airport, emergency plans swung into action. At least 25 hospitals in Brussels and neighbouring provinces began caring for the more than 300 people who were injured, according to newspaper La Libre Belgique. Off-duty doctors and nurses were asked to come to work; routine operations were postponed. |
| Erasmus hospital in western Brussels, the other side of the city from the airport, was not first in line to treat victims, but that changed after the bomb at Maelbeek metro. By 9.30am the first casualties started to arrive, some with life-threatening injuries. | Erasmus hospital in western Brussels, the other side of the city from the airport, was not first in line to treat victims, but that changed after the bomb at Maelbeek metro. By 9.30am the first casualties started to arrive, some with life-threatening injuries. |
| Pascale Javaux, chief nurse at Erasmus, said she was most struck by the quantity of blood. “But there was no panic at all, everyone was very professional.” Many of the staff were also worried about their children and families, she said, but everyone followed the emergency plan. | Pascale Javaux, chief nurse at Erasmus, said she was most struck by the quantity of blood. “But there was no panic at all, everyone was very professional.” Many of the staff were also worried about their children and families, she said, but everyone followed the emergency plan. |
| The hospital was treating “war injuries”, said medical director, Jean-Paul Van Vooren, including severed limbs, severe fractures and brain injuries. | The hospital was treating “war injuries”, said medical director, Jean-Paul Van Vooren, including severed limbs, severe fractures and brain injuries. |
| “It’s war,” said Jacques Creteur, head of the intensive care unit, in comments to Agence France-Presse. “It’s the kind of trauma seen in war.” | “It’s war,” said Jacques Creteur, head of the intensive care unit, in comments to Agence France-Presse. “It’s the kind of trauma seen in war.” |
| A total of 16 victims of the attacks have been treated at Erasmus: six have gone home, but seven remain in intensive care, including three in a life-threatening condition. One young woman has not yet been identified. Most of the victims were Belgians, but three were foreigners, including a young man from the UK, who received light injuries. | A total of 16 victims of the attacks have been treated at Erasmus: six have gone home, but seven remain in intensive care, including three in a life-threatening condition. One young woman has not yet been identified. Most of the victims were Belgians, but three were foreigners, including a young man from the UK, who received light injuries. |
| Creteur said: “Limbs torn off, impacts from flying glass and metal shrapnel – either from the bomb or, for example, furniture – head trauma, vascular lesions and fractures.” | Creteur said: “Limbs torn off, impacts from flying glass and metal shrapnel – either from the bomb or, for example, furniture – head trauma, vascular lesions and fractures.” |
| As a result, saving the victims’ lives called for a type of medicine more commonly practised in combat field hospitals than in a modern city and the symbolic heart of the European Union. | As a result, saving the victims’ lives called for a type of medicine more commonly practised in combat field hospitals than in a modern city and the symbolic heart of the European Union. |
| “On many of the patients we did what we call ‘damage control’, where a first operation is done to stop the haemorrhaging or if a limb is completely smashed … and that’s it,” Creteur said. | “On many of the patients we did what we call ‘damage control’, where a first operation is done to stop the haemorrhaging or if a limb is completely smashed … and that’s it,” Creteur said. |
| More than a dozen injured people were sent to the same hospital that treated Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam just days before. Abdeslam attended Saint-Pierre University hospital in central Brussels, after being shot in the leg while trying to evade capture last week. | More than a dozen injured people were sent to the same hospital that treated Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam just days before. Abdeslam attended Saint-Pierre University hospital in central Brussels, after being shot in the leg while trying to evade capture last week. |
| On Wednesday 15 victims of the terror attacks were being treated at St Pierre, including five who remain in a critical condition, although the prime suspect in the Paris attacks has since been transferred to a high-security jail in Bruges. “We are a hospital and we treat everyone equally, we are not the judges of who we treat,” spokeswoman Alexia Argyrakis said. | On Wednesday 15 victims of the terror attacks were being treated at St Pierre, including five who remain in a critical condition, although the prime suspect in the Paris attacks has since been transferred to a high-security jail in Bruges. “We are a hospital and we treat everyone equally, we are not the judges of who we treat,” spokeswoman Alexia Argyrakis said. |
| Since the Paris attacks, all Belgian hospitals have revised their emergency plans. Overseen by the head doctor, the plans are designed to ensure staff and resources are mobilised as quickly as possible, as well setting up welcome centres for victims’ families. | Since the Paris attacks, all Belgian hospitals have revised their emergency plans. Overseen by the head doctor, the plans are designed to ensure staff and resources are mobilised as quickly as possible, as well setting up welcome centres for victims’ families. |
| Security has also been stepped up: at Erasmus, army soldiers were guarding the entrance on Wednesday and every bag was checked on the way into the building. | Security has also been stepped up: at Erasmus, army soldiers were guarding the entrance on Wednesday and every bag was checked on the way into the building. |